Ted Knafelc Announces Candidacy For District Attorney In Letter To Beaver Countian Readers

Editor’s Note: Attorney Ted Knafelc has officially announced his Democratic candidacy for Beaver County District Attorney. County primary elections will take place on May 21, 2019. His announcement letter is being published in full below as received from the candidate:

Dear J.P. and the readers of the Beaver Countian:

I am writing you to introduce myself and announce my candidacy for District Attorney of Beaver County in 2019. I am a lifelong resident of Beaver County and have chosen to raise my family here. I have always had a passion to serve our community, and if elected District Attorney, I would work tirelessly to make Beaver County a better place.

Over the past several months, I have reached out and spoken with members of the Beaver County Bar Association, local and state law enforcement officials, as well as members of our community to discuss the current status of the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office. I have had one profound and unanimous takeaway from those conversations: We need better leadership from the Beaver County District Attorney.

It is imperative the District Attorney be willing and capable of acting as a liaison between local law enforcement, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the staff of the District Attorney’s Office, and the community at large. The District Attorney must have working relationships with those entities in order to ensure that taxpayer resources are all actively working towards the singular goal of making Beaver County a safer place to live. I have already begun forging those important relationships and will continue to cultivate them as I move forward.

Law enforcement is being looked to more and more to combat the social impact of the opioid epidemic that is plaguing our communities. This epidemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. I believe that the District Attorney of Beaver County could, and should, be a leader in this struggle. As District Attorney, I will seek to engage the public in this fight and create a dialogue of cooperation between our schools, communities, health care providers and law enforcement to help in this ongoing battle against addiction. It is imperative that we not only zealously prosecute those who are coming into Beaver County to traffic the deadly mix of heroin and fentanyl, but we must also treat those who are struggling with addiction.

I hope I can count on your support and I look forward to talking to you over the coming months about my candidacy for District Attorney of Beaver County. I also hope to hear your thoughts and ideas on how together we can make a difference in this County.

Do you have any criminal legal education, investigation, litigation, or prosecution experience? If not, you will likely not be able to defeat Gerald Benyo, if he runs. The current DA is an inexperienced, incompetent former ambulance chaser, and we have seen where that led. Sorry, but having only a nice smile and a vision of rainbows and unicorns won’t cut it. And, Conehead came with a family name, why should we be impressed by yours?

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 7:00 am

Guest

Icanread

I’d rather vote for an outsider, not someone whose family name is ingrained in County politics. We’re just going to “treat” the addicts, not prosecute them? That’s a problem when the DA’s office pleas all the dealing charges down to possession, and they all claim to be addict/victims. I doubt Benyo will be better on that issue, though.

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 7:33 am

Guest

BCShitHole

Do we treat drunk drivers of prosecute them? Do we treat some on legal pain medication, that kills someone while driving, or do we prosecute them? Any other illegal drug, do we prosecute them? Heroin addicts must be treated the same!

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 9:22 am

Guest

KK

Do you have any education or expertise in the area of opiod treatment to back that up? Otherwise, your opinion should not be taken into account.

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 6:27 pm

Guest

G.A.M.

“Ted Knafelc had previously been hired by the county under the prior Board of Commissioners to work as law clerk for President Judge John D. McBride before eventually resigning to work for a private law firm. Knafelc’s then-girlfriend Simone Temple was hired by the county to work in the Public Defender’s Office at around the same time. Temple and Knafelc later married, she remains employed by the Public Defender’s Office. Neither Knafelc or Temple had undergone a competitive employment process when hired.”

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 8:10 am

Guest

BCShitHole

Your point?

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 9:32 am

Member

buzzkill

This guy is the next Democrat “Machine” of Beaver County candidate. Be warned. His mother and father have been government employees and partisan Democrats their entire lives. His mother is the former Ambridge teacher union president and later school board member. His father is of course the Judge and former ambridge District judge and the former solicitor for the Ambridge School district. We all know poorly run the Ambridge School district is because of what a cesspool the politics there are. This guy is born and bred into the Beaver county Democrat political circle.

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 8:13 am

Member

Disgruntled

Mr. Knafelc, since you are asking me, as a reader of the Beaver Countian, for my vote I will reply to your request with some requirements for what it will take for you to earn my vote.

One of the reasons Mr. Benyo is an attractive candidate is that he does not speak in vague terms. He tells us exactly what he would do in a given situation and he’s built enough trust that I believe he really would do what he says. I realize that your announcement is intended to be brief, but I am going to need to hear a lot more about specific actions that Lozier has taken as DA and what you would have done differently, and why. If you want my vote, you will need to speak out about the Friendship Ridge ‘investigation’ specifically. How would you have handled it? How about the DelTondo investigation? How many county detectives should Beaver County employ? What is your position on the Sheriff’s department as law enforcement? Handling of the Beaver K-9 officer situation in Midland in 2016?

Next, I’m going to need you to do regular press releases of your campaign finances. I realize you are under no obligation to do this, but based on your family name, circle of friends, and lack of experience, I already have some major concerns about you I want to know where your money comes from. This is non-negotiable if you want my vote. I will not put in a request at the courthouse for this information. If it’s not offered by you, I will not vote for you.

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 8:16 am

Guest

Klaw

Mr.Knafelc, I agree 100% with Disgruntled.

An observation : I attended a meeting where CJavens called Dan Camp DANNY as she chastised him. I get a quick vision of you running through the courthouse as a child and everyone making a fuss over little Teddy. No Thanks, no more, it’s adult time with adult issues. Belaboring this fight against the deadly mix of heroin and fentanyl, opioid epidemic, will not get my vote.

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 7, 2018 9:13 am

Member

equalizer13

I agree with Disgruntled: Lack of experience in criminal law and sorry but the Family & Friends Inc. is going to hurt you at polls. Too many connections to the present corruption for my liking. I would like to hear your stance on the DA’s Super Dicks that cannot solve anything but a petty weed grower and the usual suspects. Check their murders that have not been solved. They are budget busters for this county and the taxpayers who pay for this ridiculous duplication of services. Your going to have to do much better selling yourself with the truckload of baggage you bring. Don’t be vague like Stonewall Loser and the Midget. Answer straight up what your plans are. We cannot afford more of the same from the county outhouse.

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 8, 2018 10:08 am

Member

DoTell

I also agree with disgruntled. Please let me know how you are going to handle things that Lozier did differently! Also, Benyo is gonna win!

Vote Up00Vote Down Reply

Aug 10, 2018 8:19 am

Guest

Hambone

I also agree with Disgruntled, Knafelc has no criminal litigation experience! What is he thinking? He thinks his family name will get him elected. Maybe in Ambridge, but not county wide. Waste of time and money if he runs. He’s not qualified!